The embodiments herein relate generally to devices for extracting oil from bowling balls.
Bowling alleys regularly use oil to protect and condition the surfaces of lanes. Over time, bowling balls collect and absorb significant amounts of oil and/or dirt. This affects the speed and rotation of the ball as it travels down the lane, which can negatively affect the bowler's performance and overall score during a game.
Several bowling ball maintenance and cleaning devices exist such as U.S. Patent Application Publications 2013/0340792 and 2013/0319474. However, these devices rely on the circulation of heated air or steam to clean or remove oil from a bowling ball. These devices are limited in removing oil from the ball because the circulated air and steam do not reliably penetrate the surface of the bowling ball. Therefore, the cleaning effectiveness of these devices is diminished. U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,077 discloses an apparatus for cleaning articles by using a cleaning liquid and transducing element. However, this apparatus is limited because it is not designed to secure a bowling ball. Further, the apparatus is disadvantageous because the transducing elements are not oriented to maximize oil extraction from a bowling ball.
As such, there is a need in the industry for an apparatus that enhances oil extraction from a bowling ball, which addresses the limitations of the prior art described above.